Chinese
by DI Bolly Knickers
Summary: POV Alex. A songfic on Alex and Gene's relationship I thought about while listening to Lily Allen's song "Chinese". Situated between the two seasons. I sadly enough don't own the Gene Genie, nor any of A2A's caracters. Feel free to review


It was only eleven in the morning and yet the day had already begun long ago, with Gene's abrupt voice over the phone ordering her to « get her knickers to CID right now ». A dead body had been found overnight on the Docks, another businesswoman killed by a shot in the head with her suit slashed. It was the third one to be discovered on the past ten days, and that had been sufficient for Drake to go into another psycho-babble crisis.

- He's a serial killer, he always acts the same way. We have to find the characteristics of his MO and study it, said Drake knocking a finger on her desk to mark her words.

- Massive Obsession ? said Chris in a low voice with a smirk.

- Modus Operandi. His operating mode, his signature.

- A signature ? What signature !? 'E doesn' leave any bloody card overthere ! bellowed Gene.

- Yes, Gene, he does. Each victim was murdered the same way, which means they've been killed by a same killer who's following a method. Everything on the crime scene is significant about him. These woman should not have been on the Docks at night.

- I couldn't agree more. They shouldn't 'ave been on the Docks at night, because their toffee-nosed posh faces drew the attention to them and that's exactly what got them killed !

- No, I mean they probably never even go there. These women are successful businesswoman, which means they've got money, which means they probably go around in their own car or in taxi. But there was no abandoned car to be found on any of the crime scenes, which means they were brought there. Why there ? Why specifically there ? It's meant to draw the attention, it's a sign the killer is sending us.

- Oh a sign, bloody fantastic ! Too bad I can't remember where I parked my batcar !

Ray looked at Chris and sighed. Another power struggle setting up. These two were as stubborn and proud as the other and this was never going to improve. Despairing. If only the Guv' could make up his mind and shag her, she would stay still and silent for a least a little while and everybody could go back to work as usual.

- He attacks powerful women and then leaves them on a prostitution spot. He dirties them, he lowers them. He must consider himself under-employed considering his abilities, or maybe he has lost a job to a woman. He's taking revenge over them by slashing their clothes.

- You actually deduct all this stuff by seeing a slashed skirt ? 'Ow many pills d'you eat for breakfast ?

- Profiling, this is profiling.

- Yeah, bird bollocks. No wonder there's so many date ads in the Sun nowadays, he concluded going back into his office.

Alex drew a long sight. Why did everything have to be so complicated ? Why did she have to justify each and every of her words just because she was a woman ? At least in 2008 she was respected and taken seriously. 2008... Home. Her time, and her daughter's. This was 1982, and Alex had been stuck in the 80's for almost a year now.

_« I'm coming back to you, Molly... »_

**_I see you from the sky_**

**_And I wonder how long it will take me to get home_**

The more time passed, the more she found it difficult to remember her own time. Things were beginning to slip away. The night before she had tried, on her recorded auto-analysis, to remember the taste of those Starbuck coffee she loved. She was afraid she might be dying. And she was afraid of the feelings she was growing for her colleagues. She couldn't get involved with them, she should only be thinking about going back. Anyway, this world wasn't real... _was it_ ?

Being away from her daughter had made her realise that what made a life worth living with somebody were the small details : having diner together, talking about anything, or watching a movie... She had always been so absorbed by her work that she hadn't even seen that. She hadn't been so different from her mother, after all...

_**I wait for an hour or so at the carousel**_

As a consolation price, she clang to the idea that all that she had lived here was only a matter of seconds in her own time, and that she would be found in no time now. Once she'd have accomplished whatever mission it was she had to accomplish here, she would wake up in a great flash of white light, like Sam did. And Molly would be there.

She had been wrong about all the events she had though to be her mental triggers. Putting Layton under arrest hadn't provoked anything, and her parents had once again died in front of her eyes. Except that this time she knew that these deaths didn't make any sense. There was no murderer, nothing but the auto-destructive madness of a despaired man.

Her life was going round and round in the lies and deceits...

_**I have a cigarette to pass the time**_

_**Cause the traffic's hell**_

However there was a big difference from her childhood memories : Gene Hunt. How could he have been there to take her hand and ease her pain when she needed it ? That was beating everything : she thought her father was a justice hero and he ended up being a murderer. She saw her godfather as the most perfect man on earth when in fact he had been her mother's lover and in some way the reason of her death. And she considered Gene Hunt as an egocentric, sexist, bad tempered, violent and intolerant man, with a serious drinking and smoking problem but without any form of manners, but he happened to be her guardian angel.

He had already saved her life on various occasions, she had to trust him. He was her lifeline, her unique constant in this twilight zone of a world she fell in. He once had told her that she wouldn't leave until he'd say so, so someday...

_« If you're smart, you'll learn to be where the Guv' is. It's the right place to be. »_

_« I'm coming back to you, Molly. »_

_**I don't want anything more**_

_**Than to see your face when you open the door**_

Alex walked into Gene's office and slammed the door behing her, Ray whistling at her. She had to give the best that she could while waiting to know what her mission on this world was. If that meant fighting her prehistoric and misogynistic surroundings, she was ready to give it her best shot. Just they wait.

- Why don't you give any credit to what I say ?

- Because this is another bloody piece of your psychiatric nonsense.

- Psychologic !

- Same thing !

- At least it's a lead.

- No, Bolls, what's a lead is that those three once posh friends of yours all had their cleaning done by the same company. So now take your coat, we're gonna ask some questions to Mister Shining.

- What ? But then, you ...

Alex froze, amazed. Gene always managed to surprise her : in spite of his rough tone, his constant bullying and sexist remarks, he did listen to her theory and take it into account. He'd probably have rather choke to death with his own tongue stuck into his throat than to admit it, but he did rely on his team.

Sitting at his desk, he was darting witty eyes at her, a shadow of a smile upon his features. For a second, she caught a glimpse of the one she thought could be the real Gene. The one he only showed to some very selected, trusted people. The man behind the copper. The young mischievous boy that used to play tricks on his schoolmates. Even though none of them would ever have admitted it, she knew there was a real connivance behind the power and flirt game they played together.

She smiled and crossed her arms over her chest.

- You really are ...

- Wha' ? What am I, Bolls ? he cut her, elbowing on his desk.

He firmly kept his eyes connected with hers for a few more seconds. Intense blue into deep green. No, they definitely would never admit it. Anyway, Gene and Alex as avengers, fighting crime hand in hand and concluding with a « well done, baby ? ». Nah, not gonna happen. Alex thought for a second that Molly would probably have made fun of her for having such a highschool level sort of flirting. And yet ...

_« Is it wrong to do this, Molly ? »_

_**You'll make me beans on toast and a nice cup of tea**_

Alex was not fooled by his words : this was nothing but a play. Acting king of the jungle was his way of earning and keeping his team's respect. Especially hers. Actually, he really was a bit of an old school type, and even though he highly respected her some part of his sexism could be for real.

Although not in the classic way and manners, every member of the team took care of one another. The bonds she had established with them here were far more real than the superficial relationships she had with her colleagues in 2008.

His usual serious face coming back, Gene stood up and opened his office's door with a large theatrical movement. He turned to face her.

- Ya comin' Balls or do I have to formally invite you ?

She put on her jacket with a soft chuckle and followed Gene to the Quattro. Living among dinosaurs definitely was very fun.

_« I'm coming back to you, Molly. Just... Give me some time, ok ? »_

_**And we'll get a Chinese and watch TV**_

***


End file.
